One More Night will try to pair wins in optional-claiming feature
One More Night will try to prove that his win at a big price in a $62,500 optional-claiming race at Gulfstream Park West on Oct. 18 was no fluke when he runs in a similar race there Wednesday. The six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up, which will be run as race 8, drew a solid field of eight horses, including Weekend Hideaway, who is looking for his first win since he romped in the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream Park in January.
Post time for the first of 10 races on the Veterans Day card is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
Making his first start after being claimed by trainer Marcus Vitali, One More Night wasn’t an overlay when he paid $32.40 for his sharp win over the heavily favored C. Zee, who won the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint earlier this year. One More Night was coming off a runner-up finish in a $25,000 claiming race at Saratoga on Aug. 23, and he wasn’t much of a factor in his two previous races.
One More Night improved dramatically for Vitali, however, and it didn’t hurt that he got a perfect stalking trip with Matthew Rispoli aboard.
One More Night drew post 5 for Wednesday, and with a fast and contested pace in the cards, he could get another nice trip with Rispoli retaining the mount.
Weekend Hideaway, trained by Phil Serpe, also can stalk and could be coming up to a big race following an improved performance in the $150,000 Hudson Handicap at Belmont, where he finished third in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint restricted to New York-breds.
Substantial speed will be provided by X Y Jet, who drew the rail, and Dreaming of Neno, who could have a tactical advantage breaking from the outside post.
KEY CONTENDERS
One More Night (Last 3 Beyers: 89-78-70)
◗ He took a huge step forward in his first start for Vitali and should get a similar setup here.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Vitali has a 19 percent strike rate with claimed horses making their second start for him.
Brothersofthetime (Last 3 Beyers: 72-93-80)
◗ He was overmatched in the Grade 1 Vosburgh in his last start and could improve as a first-time gelding.
◗ The shape of the race should work for him, he likes this track, and his trainer, Jorge Navarro, has won 45 percent of his starts at the meet.
Weekend Hideaway (Last 3 Beyers: 91-85-89)
◗ He isn’t the most consistent horse, but he appears to be coming around, and if he can come close to the 107 Beyer Speed Figure he received for his win in the Sunshine Millions Sprint, he’s the winner.